


The Puppet Master

by Scribe_Shives



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Manipulation, being controlled, fairytales - Freeform, sides as kids in the beginning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:13:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25690372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scribe_Shives/pseuds/Scribe_Shives
Summary: They had always told stories and joked about him, but he was an old fairytale, not even real. Though fairy tales have to come from somewhere.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

Roman and Remus sat on the floor of the commons with Patton, Janus, Virgil, and Logan. The children laughed and giggled as they sat in a circle holding the flashlight telling ‘scary’ stories. 

“Oh!Oh! I have one!” Janus said excitedly when Remus finished his, gorey, and graphic tale of a murderer. 

“What’s your story Jan?” Roman asked.

Remus passed the flashlight over to him.

Janus smiled, shining the light on his face casting creepy shadows over it, “It’s the story of… The Puppet Master!”

Patton instantly dove hiding behind Roman and hugging him, “But that’s scary!”

“Well that's the point, this is scary story time!” Janus smiled, “Could I just tell the story?”

Roman nodded, “Yeah! Please!”

Janus smiled, “There have always been rumors of someone who could control us all, bend us to their will. Many call him the Puppet master because you simply become his puppet. They say you never even realize when he is starting to control you till it’s. too. late!” 

Virgil who was currently protecting the fearing Patton sighed, “It’s just some old fairytale, it’s not real anyway.” He mumbled.    
Janus shrugged.

“Alright, I do believe sleep is a priority, so how about we all get some rest, that was enough stories for one night.” Logan cut in and got up. “Night.” He said before retreating to his room. 

Soon after everyone else went to their own rooms too. 

Soon everything changed, the bonding nights disappeared, memories were abruptly gone, a split of sides came suddenly, and a fear arose. The atmosphere shifted and an unexplained feud appeared where there had once been a friendship.

Janus’ name faded from the memories of Patton, Roman, and Logan, he was only known as another villain of Thomas’ personality. Even if everyone’s goal was just to help Thomas, there was a split of Dark and Light, those who could ‘harm’ him and those who couldn’t.

Virgil was slowly pulled into the light, thought of as someone else who was ‘good’ because he was in the light.

Janus was the first to realize something was off, his personification of part of Thomas’ self preservation and Deception, that gave him the insight he needed. He could tell something was off, whenever he tried getting closer to the light sides they did something… unexpected. Before revealing his name, he himself did something unexpected, he became the voice of reason, he protected Thomas from… Patton? Something was wrong but he could tell nobody else could tell… but maybe, Virgil could too.

Janus took a chance. He knocked at Virgil’s door firmly. 

Virgil heard the knocks and opened, “Janus?”

“Virgil… Do you remember the tails of the puppet master?”

“Janus… You can’t come to someone’s door just demanding answers! And of course I remember it’s an old Fairytail! Now go! You know I don’t like you! You banging at my door looking for answers doesn’t help that.”

“Virgil… first, why do you hate me.”

“Because… I… well… I just do? Why does it matter?”

“Because I don’t think that the puppet master is a fairytale, I believe he’s real and has been using us all as pawns for years now.”

“What? Um… you need to come in and explain.” Virgil demanded and pulled Janus into the room. 

“Hasn’t anything ever seemed… I don’t know… Off? To you?”

“Yeah… But I’m anxiety, always on edge. Always ready to run if needed I guess.”

“That’s the thing… I don’t think you always were like that, a long time ago, like a distant memory, I remember you, you were tough, ready to fight anyone who hurt someone you loved, you were our protector.”   
“But that doesn-”

“I know, but hear me out. Please?”

Virgil stared at him, “Fine.”

“Do you have any memories from when we were kids?” 

Virgil stared then thought, “I… no, I can’t remember a thing.”

“I think that's when the puppet master took over, I think he’s been using us since then, changing us and shaping the way we think and others think of us.”

“I guess it would make sense.”

“Yeah! We need to figure out how to convince everyone else without having the puppet master know we suspect they’re real.”

“We also need to figure out who the puppet master is.”

Janus nodded.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They tell the others of their suspicions

Janus went to Patton’s room after his talk with Virgil, “Patton? We need to talk.”

Patton opened the door, “Do we?”

“You want to hear what I have to say.” Janus replied and stared at him. 

“Come in.” 

Janus walked in and sat down on Patton’s bed, “You remember the Puppet Master stories?”

“Yeah! He gave me the heebie jeebies.” 

“I think he’s real.” 

“Really?” Patton asked and pulled a blanket around himself.

“Could you remember our childhood?”

“Of course! Logan, Roman, and I always had sleepovers.”

“I think all of us did, Neither Virgil nor I have memories of the past. So what if they were altered and those not able to be altered simply taken away.”

“But… that means.”   
“Means we were friends probably. But I think the puppet master has been controlling us since we were children.” Janus told him then went on continuing his reasonings. 

Virgil left his room in search of Roman or Remus, he looked around everywhere, just not seeing them.    
“They went out to the imagination, the twins.” Logan’s voice called out from the common’s couch.

“Oh… ok… Um could I ask-Tell! You about something?” Virgil asked and walked over to Logan and sat down near him. 

“I guess you could, it’s not as if someone’s stopping you.”

“But what if someone was?”

“Virgil, what could you possibly mean by that?”

“Remember The Puppet Master?”

“That old Children’s fairytale? Ha! It’s only some scary story you tell in the dark. But why must you ask?”   
“Janus and I believe it’s real.”   
“Makes sense.”   
“Wait… you agree?”   
“No, I don’t agree. But it makes sense it was real at one point, fairytales must be derived from somewhere.”   
“We believe he is still real.”

“Virgil, it’s a story, he isn’t real anymore if he was ever real.”

“But, how do you explain some things?”

“Simple logic.” 

“Logan, hear me out please!”

“Fine.”

Virgil nodded then went on explaining all of their ‘evidence’ and what made them believe he was real.

After everything Logan simply told Virgil that he’d entertain the idea, before he walked away. 

Virgil laid back on the couch, this was going to be hard. 

Remus and Roman were walking through the imagination. Suddenly Remus flourished his hand causing his Morning start to appear in his hand. He swung it at Roman.

Roman instantly pulled out his sword and blocked the attack, “Remus! What the hell!?”

Remus didn’t listen and was dead set on bringing his brother down. He swung his morning star again, it narrowly missed Roman this time. 

Roman made his shield appear and used it to protect himself. 

Remus continued slamming his morning star against the shield, “Don’t cower behind a simple piece of metal!” Remus screamed. 

Janus appeared and saw the fighting, he had come to talk to them after Virgil said Logan said they went to the imagination. Janus ran right over to them, “REMUS! ROMAN! STOP!!” he screamed.

Both paused looking over in an instant. 

Remus looked confused of what had just occurred. 

Roman sighed exhausted, “Jan… thanks… what are you doing here?”

“I came to talk to you both, but seems you both were busy killing each other!” Janus replied and walked over ripping their weapons from their hands and tossing them to the side. 

Roman looked down, so did Remus.

Janus sighed, lifting his hat and running a hand through his hair. “Ok, whatever, I’ll cut to the chase… Remember the puppet master stories? Of course you do! Ok well we think that they are true and the puppet master is real and have minimal evidence.” Janus said quickly.

The twins stared before nodding in unison.

“Ok! Good.” Janus nodded, he felt a slight tug and clapped his hands together, “Well I have to go! Thomas summons.” He said before sinking out. 

Thomas stood in his living room, “Janus, thanks for coming. It’s just something that has seemed quite off lately, I wanted to call you first. I’ll call Remus soon too. But it’s just been odd… I have felt odd.” Thomas told him and stared at Janus intently waiting for him to speak.

“Um, well there is no reason why you’d feel that way.” Janus replied. 

Thomas nodded slowly, “If you say so.” 

Janus nodded and left, he had no clue what any of that was about. But maybe all this thinking the puppet master is real was getting in the way of their jobs. Maybe they should focus on what they needed to do.

Thomas called Remus and Roman to talk with after Janus left, he wanted to know why he was feeling this way. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sides stop their search
> 
> Janus and Virgil meet Thomas

All six of the sides sat down in the common room. They were quiet. 

“Maybe we should forget about this puppet master thing… We’re affecting Thomas with our worries, we need to do our jobs.” Patton said softly, breaking the silence. 

Logan nodded, the first to agree. “We should drop this, it’s just a children’s tale.”   
Janus nodded softly, “Yeah… sorry, I just thought it would explain things.”

“No explanation needed, you darksides are just desperate for acceptance. You'll place your blame on a story even if it’s actually you who is hurting everyone.” Roman said with passion. He got up and left as soon as he was done talking.

Remus watched his twin shocked at his words. He wanted to go after him… but knew it was best to give him some space for now. 

Virgil sighed softly looking at Janus, “What if it is true though…”

Janus shrugged and got up. “We’ll figure it out.” He said softly and went to his room.

Soon enough everyone else left the room too leaving Remus alone. 

Remus got up then stopped, “He knew they all just blamed him. He was the only one not accepted. He could be accepted though.” Remus went to go apologize to his brother first. 

Remus was at Roman’s door about to knock when Logan appeared, “Don’t you know when you’re not wanted?”

“What?” Remus asked.

“Well we already have creativity, there’s no use for a second one. You’re not needed.”

“Logan… But we’re different. I’m just as needed.”   
“Get out.” Logan said emotionless then turned walking away, “We have no need for another villain.” 

Remus stared at him in shock before sinking out and locking himself in his room. 

Roman felt something, he felt a change.... He suddenly felt empty when his brother had left. But he didn’t know his brother had left. 

Virgil knocked at Janus’ door, “Hey could I come in?”

“No! Of course not!” Janus replied with heavy sarcasm. 

Virgil laughed softly and opened the door coming in, “What’s wrong?”

“Honestly I don’t know. But looking for the puppet master, it’s making something… wrong.”

Virgil nodded, “We should talk to Thomas maybe?”

“Yeah…” Janus nodded. 

The two rose up to Thomas, “We need to talk.”

“What is it?” Thomas asked them and looked at them with concern. 

“We wanted to tell you about a fairytale of the sides… though we think it’s true.”   
“Really? Interesting.”   
Virgil nodded.

Janus sighed, “He’s called the puppet master, he controls us sides and could affect us. I think he’s real and controlling all of us. We don’t know who he would be but, we wanted to tell you. Because we think he’s real.”   
Thomas nodded and sighed, “I would’ve hoped you would forget about this.”

Janus and Virgil started at him confused. 

“You all just keep figuring things out and it’s an endless cycle… but I think I know what to do this time. So you won’t remember this, puppet master, again.”   
“What do you mean again?” Janus asked.

Virgil stated, “Thomas? What’s going on.”   
“You should’ve dropped this topic when you remembered it.” He said softly and closed his eyes. He moved his arms. Both sides sunk out with the movement of Thomas’ arms. “Now for you to forget.” He whispered and a mist flooded the imagination, it cloudy all the sides’ heads before taking their memories. He didn’t want to deal with this again. He couldn’t let them know he was the one who controlled and manipulated them, that he was the puppet master. They needed to forget, again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should I tag this fic as U!thomas? would it spoil it?


End file.
